The Wisdom of Truth: The Story of Vidhurapandita

In a time long past, there was a wise and virtuous advisor to the king named Vidhurapandita, born as the Bodhisatta. His reputation for truthfulness and wisdom was known far and wide, even among the mighty kings of the world.

On one holy day, four great kings gathered together to share tales of their virtues: a naga king, a garuda king, Indra the king of gods, and King Dhananjaya, the Bodhisatta’s sovereign. Each king boasted of his strength and righteousness. The naga king claimed his greatest virtue was his patience, for even though nagas and garudas were mortal enemies, he never allowed anger to rise when he saw a garuda. The garuda king spoke of his self-restraint, explaining how, despite his hunger for nagas, he could resist the urge to devour them. Indra the god boasted of his renunciation of heavenly pleasures, having left behind the glory of heaven to come to earth and observe the holy day. Finally, King Dhananjaya spoke of his devotion to religious perfection, having chosen to spend the day in prayer rather than indulge in the pleasures of his harem, which boasted sixteen thousand dancing girls.

The kings, each feeling his own virtue was superior, turned to Vidhurapandita, the Bodhisatta, for a judgment on who among them was the greatest. With his deep wisdom, the Bodhisatta replied, “All of you are equal, like the spokes of a wheel—each virtue is invaluable in its own way.” The kings were pleased with his answer and, in gratitude, gave him precious gifts: a jewel from the naga king, a golden garland from the garuda king, a robe of heavenly silk from Indra, and one thousand cows from King Dhananjaya.

As the Bodhisatta’s fame spread, it reached the ears of the naga king’s queen, who, upon hearing of his wisdom, longed to meet him. However, the queen, fearing her husband might not bring the Bodhisatta to her, faked a grave illness and claimed that she would die unless she obtained the Bodhisatta’s heart. Distraught, the naga king searched for a solution, and eventually asked his daughter, the naga princess, to find a man who would kill the Bodhisatta and bring his heart to the queen. Believing that her mother’s life depended on it, the princess agreed.

The naga princess laid on a bed of flowers, singing a song to draw suitors who might meet her challenge. Punnaka, a nephew of the goblin king Vessavana, heard her song while traveling on his magical horse. He instantly fell in love with the princess and vowed to kill the Bodhisatta, promising the naga king a magnificent bride-price—100 elephants, 100 horses, 100 mules, and 100 chariots. But the naga king, focused only on obtaining the Bodhisatta’s heart, agreed only on the condition that Punnaka bring the heart of the Bodhisatta.

Punnaka, eager to complete the task, sought permission from his uncle, Vessavana. Once granted, he devised a plan to outwit King Dhananjaya. Punnaka disguised himself as a foreign man and challenged the king to a game of dice, betting a magical jewel that granted any desire and his enchanted horse. The game was played, and though King Dhananjaya was a skilled gambler, Punnaka used his powers to manipulate the dice. The king, seeing that he was about to lose, caught the dice and threw them again. Yet despite his skill, Punnaka’s powers prevailed, and he won the game.

Although King Dhananjaya reluctantly agreed to the terms of the game, he balked when Punnaka demanded the Bodhisatta as part of his winnings. The two went to ask the Bodhisatta whether he was a slave or part of the royal family. The Bodhisatta, always truthful, replied, “I am a slave to the king, and he is free to do with me as he wishes.” With his answer, Punnaka won the Bodhisatta’s life, and he took the sage away.

Punnaka attempted to kill the Bodhisatta in a series of elaborate ways, using his magical powers to summon terrible winds, storms, and even changing shape into fearsome beasts, but the Bodhisatta remained undisturbed, his mind unshaken. Finally, in a moment of desperation, Punnaka hung the Bodhisatta over a cliff, intending to dash him to death against the rocks below. The Bodhisatta, calm and unwavering, asked why he was being killed. Punnaka explained the naga queen’s demand, and the Bodhisatta, recognizing the misunderstanding, revealed the truth: “The heart of a sage is his wisdom. The queen must have requested me to teach her, not to be killed.”

Seeing the Bodhisatta’s composure, Punnaka realized his mistake and, ashamed of his actions, agreed to release him. But before returning to the naga realm, the Bodhisatta asked to speak with the naga king. He went willingly, confident in his ability to persuade with his wisdom. When he arrived, the Bodhisatta spoke of the duties of a righteous man, explaining how good men follow the teachings of those who came before them, support their benefactors, stay loyal to their friends, and avoid falling prey to wicked desires. His words transformed the hearts of the naga king and queen.

The queen, now understanding the true value of wisdom, no longer wished for the Bodhisatta’s death, and instead asked him to stay for a few days. Punnaka, now humbled, took the Bodhisatta back home, giving him the magical lapis lazuli jewel as a token of gratitude for changing his life.

When the Bodhisatta returned to King Dhananjaya, the king had a great celebration in his honor. The city was decorated, and a month-long festival was held. The Bodhisatta shared his experiences with the crowd, and in gratitude for the wisdom that had saved him, he gave the lapis lazuli jewel to the king. The king, moved by the Bodhisatta’s unwavering truthfulness, honored him with a great feast and celebrations throughout the land.

In the Lifetime of the Buddha:

In a later lifetime, the Bodhisatta would be known as the Buddha, and the events of this story were recalled by his disciples. The Buddha explained that, while his wisdom in this lifetime was a result of his enlightenment, his ability to overcome adversity through truth and wisdom had been developed over many lifetimes. In this past life, the Bodhisatta’s ability to outwit Punnaka and bring about change was a precursor to his future role as the Buddha, whose wisdom and ability to transform others would be unmatched.

The king, Queen, Punnaka, and all involved in this tale were reborn in future lives as some of the Buddha’s closest disciples—Ananda, Sariputta, Moggallana, and others, each continuing to learn and grow under the Buddha’s guidance.

Moral: This story demonstrates that truth is the ultimate weapon in the face of adversity. Even in the most dangerous and seemingly hopeless situations, unwavering truthfulness can change hearts, clear misunderstandings, and bring about profound transformation. True wisdom lies not in physical strength or magical powers, but in the power of truth and the wisdom to live by it.